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02-07-2010, 01:44 PM
Flyers return favor, drill Xavier, 90-65
by Mike Damone
Throughout the course of Saturday’s game at UD Arena, it was difficult to tell which team sat atop the Atlantic 10 standings, and which team was fighting for its NCAA Tournament life. The Dayton Flyers entered Saturday’s contest against their hated rival after losing three of their last five games, and needing a victory in a big way.
The Flyers (16-6, 5-3) not only got what they needed, but looked dominant in the process, ripping their archrival Xavier, 90-65, and handing the Musketeers (16-7, 8-2) their worst since they fell 80-49 in 2000 to the La Salle Explorers.
The Flyers came out with guns blazing in the opening seconds and dominated early, hitting six of their first eight shots in building a 17-3 lead over the first 5:37 of the game. Dayton, not known for its three-point shooting, connected on their first three offerings from distance to put Xavier in a big hole early. The Flyers finished the game shooting 53 percent from deep.
The affair also began inauspiciously for the Musketeers when Jason Love (7 pts, 6 reb) picked up two fouls in the first minute of the ballgame, and back-up center Kenny Frease (0 pts, 2 reb) picked up two of his own before the 16-minute mark of the first half.
The Musketeers answered with a drive and bucket from Terrell Holloway (12 pts, 0 ast, 4 to) and a triple from Jordan Crawford (25 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast) to trim UD’s advantage to nine, 17-8, but the early, modest spurt was as close as the Musketeers would get all game, as Dayton’s shooting and dribble penetration was too much for Xavier to contain.
The Flyers shot 56 percent on the afternoon, including a superhuman 72 percent in the second half. Dayton’s defense was equally dominant, holding the Musketeers to just 37 percent shooting and 15 points below Xavier’s average offensive output.
A hoop and foul from Chris Wright (17 pts, 9 reb, 3 blk) stretched Dayton’s lead out to 14 with under seven minutes left in the first half, and Mickey Perry (7 pts, 2 reb) stroked a three on the fastbreak to give the Flyers their largest lead of the half, 31-14.
After Jamel McLean (7 pts, 7 reb) drove and scored to trim Xavier’s deficit to 11, 37-26, the Musketeers got the ball back with a chance to cut UD’s lead to single digits again. But a Holloway turnover to London Warren (7 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast) instead allowed the Flyers to stretch the lead further when Warren hit both his free throws after getting fouled going in for the fastbreak layup to provide the halftime margin, 39-26.
The Musketeers scored first out of the intermission to trim UD’s lead again, 39-28, but the Xavier defense gave it right back when Warren drove and scored. A Rob Lowery (16 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast) three stretched the Flyers’ lead back out to 16 over five minutes into the second half, but a pair of three’s from Dante Jackson (9 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast) and Crawford brought the Musketeers to within 10 with 13:51 to play.
After UD brought their lead back to 13, Jackson canned another three from the corner to cut their deficit to 10, but the Musketeers would get no closer as the Flyers took off. A six-point jaunt spurred by Marcus Johnson (10 pts, 4 reb) gave the Flyers a 17-point lead, 66-49. Paul Williams (7 points) and Devon Searcy (4 pts, 8 reb) each scored inside to extend the UD lead.
A seven-point run by the Flyers stretched their lead to 21, 82-61, when Chris Johnson (18 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast) knocked down a three, followed by a jam by Wright and a pair of free throws from Marcus Johnson.
The roof continued to tumble in on Xavier, as the Flyers never let up, closing the game on a 15-4 run to bury the Musketeers.
Crawford led all scorers, a small consolation for Xavier, with 24 points. Holloway was the only other Musketeer to crack double-figures, adding 12. Dayton boasted four double-figure scorers, led by 18 from Chris Johnson. Wright followed up with 17, Lowery with 16 and Marcus Johnson with 10.
Similar to last month’s contest, the Flyers dominated the Musketeers on the glass, winning the battle of the boards, 42-24.
Xavier will now take a “break” from its conference schedule and head to Gainesville to take on the Florida Gators next Saturday at 6 p.m. The Gators (17-6, 6-3) are coming off a 69-62 win over Mississippi State. Xavier and Florida have clashed just once before during the 1959-60 season, with Xavier emerging victorious.
by Mike Damone
Throughout the course of Saturday’s game at UD Arena, it was difficult to tell which team sat atop the Atlantic 10 standings, and which team was fighting for its NCAA Tournament life. The Dayton Flyers entered Saturday’s contest against their hated rival after losing three of their last five games, and needing a victory in a big way.
The Flyers (16-6, 5-3) not only got what they needed, but looked dominant in the process, ripping their archrival Xavier, 90-65, and handing the Musketeers (16-7, 8-2) their worst since they fell 80-49 in 2000 to the La Salle Explorers.
The Flyers came out with guns blazing in the opening seconds and dominated early, hitting six of their first eight shots in building a 17-3 lead over the first 5:37 of the game. Dayton, not known for its three-point shooting, connected on their first three offerings from distance to put Xavier in a big hole early. The Flyers finished the game shooting 53 percent from deep.
The affair also began inauspiciously for the Musketeers when Jason Love (7 pts, 6 reb) picked up two fouls in the first minute of the ballgame, and back-up center Kenny Frease (0 pts, 2 reb) picked up two of his own before the 16-minute mark of the first half.
The Musketeers answered with a drive and bucket from Terrell Holloway (12 pts, 0 ast, 4 to) and a triple from Jordan Crawford (25 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast) to trim UD’s advantage to nine, 17-8, but the early, modest spurt was as close as the Musketeers would get all game, as Dayton’s shooting and dribble penetration was too much for Xavier to contain.
The Flyers shot 56 percent on the afternoon, including a superhuman 72 percent in the second half. Dayton’s defense was equally dominant, holding the Musketeers to just 37 percent shooting and 15 points below Xavier’s average offensive output.
A hoop and foul from Chris Wright (17 pts, 9 reb, 3 blk) stretched Dayton’s lead out to 14 with under seven minutes left in the first half, and Mickey Perry (7 pts, 2 reb) stroked a three on the fastbreak to give the Flyers their largest lead of the half, 31-14.
After Jamel McLean (7 pts, 7 reb) drove and scored to trim Xavier’s deficit to 11, 37-26, the Musketeers got the ball back with a chance to cut UD’s lead to single digits again. But a Holloway turnover to London Warren (7 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast) instead allowed the Flyers to stretch the lead further when Warren hit both his free throws after getting fouled going in for the fastbreak layup to provide the halftime margin, 39-26.
The Musketeers scored first out of the intermission to trim UD’s lead again, 39-28, but the Xavier defense gave it right back when Warren drove and scored. A Rob Lowery (16 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast) three stretched the Flyers’ lead back out to 16 over five minutes into the second half, but a pair of three’s from Dante Jackson (9 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast) and Crawford brought the Musketeers to within 10 with 13:51 to play.
After UD brought their lead back to 13, Jackson canned another three from the corner to cut their deficit to 10, but the Musketeers would get no closer as the Flyers took off. A six-point jaunt spurred by Marcus Johnson (10 pts, 4 reb) gave the Flyers a 17-point lead, 66-49. Paul Williams (7 points) and Devon Searcy (4 pts, 8 reb) each scored inside to extend the UD lead.
A seven-point run by the Flyers stretched their lead to 21, 82-61, when Chris Johnson (18 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast) knocked down a three, followed by a jam by Wright and a pair of free throws from Marcus Johnson.
The roof continued to tumble in on Xavier, as the Flyers never let up, closing the game on a 15-4 run to bury the Musketeers.
Crawford led all scorers, a small consolation for Xavier, with 24 points. Holloway was the only other Musketeer to crack double-figures, adding 12. Dayton boasted four double-figure scorers, led by 18 from Chris Johnson. Wright followed up with 17, Lowery with 16 and Marcus Johnson with 10.
Similar to last month’s contest, the Flyers dominated the Musketeers on the glass, winning the battle of the boards, 42-24.
Xavier will now take a “break” from its conference schedule and head to Gainesville to take on the Florida Gators next Saturday at 6 p.m. The Gators (17-6, 6-3) are coming off a 69-62 win over Mississippi State. Xavier and Florida have clashed just once before during the 1959-60 season, with Xavier emerging victorious.